Day Seven
by StrictlyDramione
Summary: Hermione Granger was given a deathly poison by the jealous Pansy Parkinson and is left with only seven days to live. What will she do in the time she has left with the one boy she ever truly loved: Draco Malfoy? I DON'T OWN ANY CHARACTERS!


Draco woke up and rolled over in bed, looking down at the beautiful brunette in his arms, the one still clutching him as she had the night before. Her tears were dried and she looked peaceful but he knew that inside she was feeling the same thing he was. Terror. Terror of what would happen tonight when the clock struck eleven. He was scared too. He didn't want to lose her. He'd give anything to trade places with her but he knew it was too late for that. Too late for anything. He'd never expected to fall in love with Hermione Granger, the muggleborn witch. But he had and now he couldn't believe she was already leaving him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her too him and her hold tightened on him as well, even in her sleep. He didn't want to wake her yet; it was only seven thirty. But he knew she wanted to get up early to be able to spend her last day to its fullest. So, he gently kissed her lips and brought her out of her sleep.

She opened her eyes slowly, clearly still exhausted, but she smiled up at him. "Morning," she said softly.

"Good morning," he whispered, no longer liking the phrase. This day would never be good, no matter what they did.

"I'm going to go shower and I'll meet you back here," she told him. She kissed him on the cheek and slipped from his grasp, heading to the dresser. After pulling out her clothes, she went into the bathroom without a word.

Draco stared after her. He couldn't understand it. How could she be dying tonight when she seemed to be completely well? How could her life be slipping away when she was as spry as any teenager should be? It didn't make sense. As he wondered, his mind slipped back to that fateful day last week.

She'd been walking down the halls of Hogwarts, carrying out her Head Girl duties per usual, Draco scouting out that floor beneath her. She'd said she heard a shuffling sound behind her and had turned, preparing to find a ghost there. But no. It had been one very angry, very _jealous_ Pansy Parkinson. Hermione opened her mouth to speak but before she could, the girl had grabbed her chin and wrenched her toward her. She shoved a gruesome concoction down her throat and the next second, it felt like Hermione's insides were burning. On the floor below, he's heard her scream and he'd run upstairs to find her in a huddle on the ground, Pansy was scurrying the other direction. Draco had hit Pansy with a petrifying spell and gathered Hermione in his arms, rushing her to the hospital where she'd stayed for five long days. On the sixth, they'd been told the news. Pansy had given her a terrifying potion that would slowly eat away at her magic leaving behind only an empty shell. It would take seven long days.

It was the first time Draco had ever cried. The worst thing was he knew it was going to happen and couldn't stop it.

He sighed heavily and slumped against the wall. Thankfully, Pansy had been sent to St. Mungo's for her what she had done and today was the final day of his and Hermione's seven day adventure. He'd been taking her everywhere she'd ever wanted to go in these past six days, Dumbledore having given them both leave from their studies.

He sighed again and tried to shove the thoughts from his mind, not wanting Hermione to come out of the bathroom and see him still thinking about the incident on her last day.

An hour later, they were both dressed and sitting together on the bed again, Hermione resting her head on Draco's arm. "So, the agenda for today is..." He trailed off, waiting for her to finish.

"Hogwarts," she said instantly.

He sat up abruptly and she almost fell over. He helped her into a sitting position and then looked at her shocked. "What?"

"I owled Dumbledore and he said it was fine. I want to go back to Hogwarts and see all my friends before..." He saw her eyes fill with tears and she swallowed hard. The closer it got to being time, the more emotional she became, it seemed. "Before I die," she finally choked out.

"But...are you sure? You don't want to go somewhere else you've never been to? No other countries or—"

Hermione touched his arm gently. "I want to see Hogwarts one last time," she whispered.

He nodded. "Then, we'll go to Hogwarts. Do you want to say good-bye to your parents?"

She shook her head. "No. It'll be better if I don't."

Again, he just nodded. He took her hand and lead her over to the fireplace. He put their bags inside first and sent them to the Gryffindor common room. Then he helped her into the hearth and threw down the powder and yelled, "The Great Hall!"

They were immediately engulfed in a wave of green flames and Hermione held him tightly as they vanished from her parent's house. She watched many places pass by, before they finally stepped out of the fire and into the Great Hall of Hogwarts. The room grew dead silent as their entrance was noticed. Hermione stood in Draco's arms and he could tell she felt awkward having all the eyes in the entire school on her. But then Dumbledore rose from his seat and began to clap.

Within seconds, the entire room was clapping with him and Seamus whistled a few times for good measure. Harry, Ron, and Ginny ran over to her from the Gryffindor table and nearly made her fall over as they jumped on her with hugs. Draco was still behind her and managed to keep her upright as she grinned at her friends.

"Whoo hoo!" Ron yelled above the other yells for her. He wrapped her in a hug. "'Mione, we're so glad you're here!" he said.

Ginny shoved him aside and gave her a hug of her own. "We've missed you so much! I'm glad you came back!"

"Me too," Hermione said cheerfully. "I only which I could stay longer," Draco heard her mutter when Ginny moved aside for Harry.

Harry hugged her as well before turning to Draco and holding out his hand. Draco was a bit taken aback and even Hermione looked stunned. Slowly, Draco grasped Harry's who shook it firmly. "Thanks for taking care of her," Harry said sincerely.

Draco just nodded. "I love her, you know."

Harry smiled. "I think I'm starting to understand that now."

Hermione squeezed Draco's other hand and he could practically feel her vibrating with glee. It obviously meant a lot to her that Harry was finally accepting them being together. For now, at least.

"Come, come sit!" Ginny said ushering the two of them to the Gryffindor table and practically forcing them to sit down. By now the cheers had died down but throughout the entire breakfast people kept coming up to them to see Hermione and praise her for coming back. Draco kept seeing the Slytherins shoot her glares from across the hall but she thankfully didn't notice. After breakfast, they went back to the Gryffindor common room without her friends because they all had classes and just sat in one of the big crimson chairs.

Hermione sighed contently. "I remember the first day I came into this room. I was so shocked because it was so pretty and all the paintings moved. And Nick was so nice—I haven't seen him in a while, actually, I'll have to track him down.

Draco watched her look around the room, taking everything in like it was the last time she'd ever she it. And it was which was what hit him the hardest. He didn't want to lose her but he was going to, and no matter what they did he was reminded of it every single day.

"Draco, what's wrong?" Hermione asked him suddenly.

Draco came out of his reverie and suddenly was aware of the tears on his face. He was crying. He quickly moved to wipe them away but she caught his hands.

"Draco, you don't have to hide it. I'm sad, too," she said, gently caressing his hands.

Draco hated the fact that he was showing weakness, but he couldn't help it. It felt good to finally let lose what he was feeling. He just wished she hadn't seen it. "Hermione, I'm sorry," he said abruptly.

"For what?" she asked.

"For...for anything I did or said to you before I fell in love with you. For making the first few years of your life here hell. For never getting along with your friends even when we started dating. For never being more serious about school like you always asked me to. For not being there when you were attacked. For not getting to your side faster. For leaving you alone!" He broke down completely, taking his hands from her and dropping his head in them.

"Draco," Hermione said tenderly. "Draco." She tried to pull his hands away but he wouldn't let her.

"And I'm sorry for crying in front of you," he added, his voice muffled.

"Draco," she said again. Finally, she managed to get his hands from his face and grip them tightly in her own. "Now, listen to me," she told him locking eyes with him. "And listen carefully. _It was not your fault_. What happened to me was not your fault. It was Pansy's and her sick and twisted obsession with you. But it wasn't your fault. No matter what happened, it couldn't be stopped. Pansy had clearly been planning to poison me so it would've happened eventually."

"But—"

"And everything with my first year and my friends, I don't care about. I love you and I'll continue to love you no matter what. And I'm glad you can cry in front of me. You shouldn't hold what you feel in."

"But Hermione—" He was cut off by her lips suddenly colliding with his in a kiss.

"No more," she ordered when she released his lips. "I love you and you have nothing to apologize for. Now, I want to see the library. Are you coming or staying?" She rose and held out her hand to him.

He gave her a weak smile and wiped his face before taking her hand. "Do you even have to ask?" He rose and slipped his arms around her waist, walking behind her the whole way to the library. They walked inside to find it relatively deserted...except for three people. Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Blaise waved Draco over but he just ignored them and turned to Hermione.

"Where to first?" he asked her.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Draco, go talk to your friends."

"They're not my friends."

"Draco—"

"Hermione, they're _not my friends_," he said forcefully.

She sighed. "Alright. I'm going to go find _Hogwarts: A History_."

"Again?"

She laughed and rose up to kiss him. "Yes."

"Okay." They started over to the history section when Blaise's hand suddenly shot out and yanked Draco down into one of the seats. Draco growled and tried to stand but Blaise held him fast. Hermione gave him a look that said 'just hear them out' before disappearing behind many bookcases. He heaved a sigh. "What do you thugs want?" he asked coldly.

"We want to know what happened to you," Blaise said. "You used to be a badass Slytherin but then you fell for that Mudblood and you're suddenly against all your kind."

Draco didn't hesitate. He reached across the table and slammed his fist into Blaise's nose.

"Ah!" Blaise cried out in pain.

Draco leaned over the table. "_Never_ call Hermione that again," he said in a dangerously low voice.

Blaise held his nose, but managed to shake it off. Draco hadn't hit him too hard because he knew Hermione would've been upset with him. So he'd avoided breaking it on purpose. "That's what I mean!" Blaise shouted. The librarian came around the corner and ordered them to be quiet and then walked away. "Why are you turning on the Slytherins?"

"Because Pansy poisoned my girlfriend!" Draco whispered shouted.

"So? She's a—" Draco glared at him. "A Gryffindor," he finished weakly.

"I don't care. I love her and that's that. And now I'll lose her because of some Slytherin bitch's jealousy! So excuse me for turning against you lot!" He rose and tried to walk away but Blaise grabbed him again.

"And what about when she's dead? Will you still be against us?"

Draco narrowed his eyes and pulled his fist back, more than ready to break his nose this time. But then a crash resounded through the library and Draco froze. It came from the history section. He wasn't sure if it was Hermione but the crash made his blood run cold. Draco ripped his arm from Blaise's hold and bolted for the stacks. He found Hermione in a heap on the floor, a book on the ground beside her.

"Hermione!" he cried and ran to her side. He lifted her gently from the ground and rested her head on his lap. The librarian came to see what the fuss was about and froze at the sight of Hermione. "Get the nurse!' he screamed at her, not caring that she was a teacher. She nodded and bustled off, then the Slytherins came over to them.

"Draco," Blaise began.

"Not now!" he snapped. Draco placed his hand on Hermione's forehead and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Her eyelids were twitching slightly so he knew she was alive but he was still scared shitless. He glanced around her to see if she'd collapsed of her own accord or of something else but all he found was the book open and face down on the ground. He leaned over to see the title but found that there wasn't one. It was just a plain brown book.

Just then, the nurse ran in with the librarian and ordered Draco to follow her to the hospital with Hermione. Draco nodded and lifted her into his arms, simultaneously grabbing the book. She'd taken it for a reason; maybe she genuinely wanted to read it. He hurried after the nurse and walked through the open door, placing Hermione on the nearest bed.

"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"I don't know," Draco said worried. "She went to get a book and then there was a crash and I found her on the ground. Is it...do you think it's because the poison's almost completely in her system?"

"It could be. I'm going to get a Pepper-Up potion from Professor Snape's room; I'm all out. Maybe once she's awake she can tell us what happened. Watch her?"

"Of course."

The nurse nodded and left. Draco pulled up and chair and sat down, taking Hermione's hand in his. He massaged her palm, hoping to God that she would wake up and everything would be okay. After a few minutes, his wish was finally granted. Hermione's eyes began to flutter and she slowly opened them. She smiled when she saw Draco. "Hi," she said hoarsely.

He got up and knelt at her side. "Hi," he said. "Are you okay? What happened?" He placed his hand on her cheek.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I was reading something in a book and then...I just couldn't stand up anymore. I think...I...I think it's from the poison."

"No, no, the nurse said it might not be."

She looked at him weakly. "We both know it was," she whispered. "Face it, Draco. Today really is my last day. She'll give me a Pepper-Up potion and I'll be released but I'll still be gone by tonight."

Draco felt his eyes sting with tears but he kept that at bay. He didn't want her to see him cry again. "Hermione..." She just smiled and closed her eyes again.

"Wake me when the nurse comes back," she said before drifting away to sleep land.

Draco sighed. He dropped his head on the bed and clutched her hand. He kissed it and rose, sitting back in his chair. That was when he noticed her book. What had she seen in it that had caused her to want it rather than the Hogwarts book? He let her hand go, placing it on her stomach, and pulled the book toward him. He opened it and watched as a sheet of parchment fell from it to his lap. He picked it up and unfolded it, finding the word _medicamentum_. He blanched. He knew what that meant. It was Latin. It meant 'magic poison'. Maybe Hermione had been looking for a cure. He sighed. Apparently she was more afraid than she'd let on.

Draco leafed through the book, glancing at the pages briefly before moving on when they didn't say anything important. It just seemed to be the old diary of Helga Hufflepuff. Nothing overly special. By the time he came to the end he was frustrated Not even a founder could tell them anything. "I just want to save my girlfriend! Is that too much to ask?!" he cried to no one at all. He chucked the diary clear across the room. It hit the wall and crashed to the floor. Draco gave an aggravated growl and glared at it...

And watched in awe as a blackish-yellow smoke rose up from it and the pages started flipping wildly.

Draco watched what was happening in shock. What was going on? Were diaries supposed to do that? He stood warily and nervously made his way over to the book. The pages began to turn faster, some actually ripping out of the spin and spinning around the room insanely. Draco jumped back when a few pages lunged for him and he hit the floor to avoid the others following. They were rushing for Hermione and instantly froze over her. Draco watched, stunned, as the pages slowly fell to her body, covering every inch of her with their yellowing pages. The book slammed shut and he finally stood.

Carefully, almost afraid of what would happen if he moved too quickly, Draco went to Hermione and looked down at the pages shielding her. _Is that...is that a map?_ he thought confused. He continued to gaze down at her. It was. The pages had somehow created their own little map of Hermione's body on the inside with a small stream of ivory running throughout it. _The poison,_ he realized. Draco gazed at the track it was leaving and saw that it really was almost entirely through her veins. All except for one small part, a small part that seemed to be barricaded, protected from the disease.

Her heart.

Draco watched as the poison tried to beat against the invisible wall surrounding it but every time, something would glow purple and the ivory line would be thrown back. As of right now, the poison couldn't finish it's task. But how?

Draco ran to the book still lying on the floor and picked it up, running his fingers over the cover. Golden letters were suddenly engraving themselves on its surface and in moments he could read the title clearly. _Secrets and Aids for Poisons Against the Heart: By Helga Hufflepuff._

He stared at it. That wasn't there before. He opened the book and found words completely different than what had been written before staring back at him in black ink. He turned to the first page.

"'_Secrets and Aids for Poisons Against the Heart_ is my personal record of any and all poisons taken or given in situations of the heart. The cure to all mishaps and suicides, murders and mistakes lay between these my pages. Nothing is hopeless. Not until the last resort has been used. Look, stare, but waste time naught. Someone's life could depend on it.'" Draco listened to the words read themselves in a female voice, undoubtedly Hufflepuff's own. His mouth dropped open in awe. Did this mean Hermione had a chance?

He spun around and looked at the Gryffindor. She still seemed to be peacefully asleep; he could see her chest rise and fall with her breaths. She was still with him. Maybe he could make it permanent. To his great relief, Pomfrey returned at that instant and Draco shoved the book in her hands without a word. He waited while the words repeated themselves to the startled nurse, but watched in hope as Pomfrey's face broke out in a grin.

"Of course!" she cried. "Hufflepuff's secrets! She was always the best at herbology! Wait here, boy! We can't discern any of this without Madame Sprout!" She began to hurry away.

"Wait!" he called. She stopped and turned back. "I can get there faster," he said. "Give Hermione the potion and I'll be back in an instant." Pomfrey nodded and started back for the girl. Draco grabbed her arm as she passed, firmly yet kindly. "Don't lose her," he said softly, malice nowhere in his tone. She gave him a small smile and nodded. Then he bolted from the room.

Draco didn't think about anything as he ran. He ignored the paintings yelling at him to slow down, the prefects ordering him to stop, the teachers staring at him in surprise, and the students looking at him like he'd lost his mind. All he cared about was getting to Herbology and ripping Sprout from her class. Luckily, he reached the door to her room in less than five minutes and rushed inside. He heard everyone stop what they were doing and turn to him and shock, Harry and Ron trying to ask him about Hermione. But he continued to Sprout. He came to a halt right in front of her and tried to catch his breath and explain the situation to her at the same time. He finally managed to get it all out and Sprout hurried away with him, ordering Seamus to watch the class. Draco shot Harry and Ron a hopeful look, praying they got the message.

Five minutes later, he was at an awake Hermione's side again, both listening to Sprout and Pomfrey talk hurriedly about the diary and Hermione and what it all meant. Sprout spent a considerable amount of time looking through the book and Draco lost all feeling in his hand because Hermione was squeezing it so tightly.

At last, it seemed she was fed up. "What is going on?!" she abruptly blurted out.

Pomfrey and Sprout looked at her like they had forgotten they were in the room. Sprout returned to her reading while Pomfrey came over to them and sat beside Hermione to explain. "Well, my dear, it seems young Mr. Malfoy might've figured out a way to stop the poison. That is, if Helga Hufflepuff managed to in fact make a draft to every single poison as suspected."

Hermione glanced at Draco and he was surprised that she didn't look as happy as he thought she'd be. In fact she looked...upset. Unexpectedly she threw back the covers and got out of bed. All three turned to look at her, confused, and Draco saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but her words were stolen from her. Instead she ran out of the room.

"Oh," Pomfrey said weakly. Draco held up a hand.

"Keep looking," he told them. "I'll get her." He hurried after her and was just able to make out a swirl of brown hair rushing around the corner. He followed her, trailing her up many flights of stairs and down numerous hallways, all the while wondering how she had this much energy in her. But he finally managed to corner her in the Astronomy Tower. He hesitated at the door, for he could hear her crying echo in the tower, but he slowly entered anyway.

"Hermione?" he asked tentatively.

She rounded on him and he found that it was tears of anger on her face and not of sorrow or joy. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked him.

"What are you talking about?" He closed the door and moved toward her.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Draco, I've finally accepted the fact that I'm going to die. That I'm going to be forced to leave behind everyone I love. That I'll never see any of you again. And you pull this and tell me there's a shot that I don't have to go. There is no shot!" she exclaimed. "There never was! And now, when I do die it will be ten times worse because everyone's starting to hope again!"

"Hermione," Draco said gently, still a bit confused. "I don't understand. Don't you want to live? Don't...don't you want to be with me?"

"Of course I do, but it's not possible," she said tiredly. "And clinging to false hope will only make it worse."

"It's not false," he argued. "I heard Helga say it with her own voice. There _is_ a chance. And I never gave up hope. I thought you didn't either," he finished quietly.

Hermione moved toward him and took his hand in her's. "Draco, there's nothing left to save me with. If there was, we wouldn't've had to wait so long to find it. It's useless. There _is no cure._"

But Draco shook his head. He wouldn't believe that. He refused to. Not until every possibility was exhausted. "You don't know that," he said.

She nodded. "Yes, I do."

"No, you don't."

They both jumped when a third voice entered the conversation. They looked around the room wildly. "Who's there?" Draco called, bringing Hermione closer to him. The air wavered before them and soon crystallized into a ghostly, transparent form. He gaped at it. _A ghost._

The apparition flickered when it laughed. "Yes, I am a ghost," it said in a kind voice. "But you need not fear me. I come only with answers and aid."

"Answers and aid to what?" Hermione asked, clutching Draco.

It chuckled again. "Why to you, my dear."

Draco squinted at the ghost and felt his eyes grow wide. "Hufflepuff?" he said.

She nodded and clapped her hands. "But of course! You didn't really expect me to give you a clue to a cure and not follow through with the rest, did you?"

"So there is one?" Draco said hopefully.

She smiled. "Dear, I am Helga Hufflepuff. There is nothing involving poisons and potions that I _don't_ know about. Why do you think the Herbology teacher is my new house head?"

Hermione grinned beside him. "So you can save me?" she asked.

"Only if we do everything exactly right. The smallest slip-up could have the worst repercussions," Helga told her seriously.

Hermione nodded. "I understand. But...how do we do it?"

"First, I _must know everything._ I cannot cure something without knowing exactly what occurred and the relationships between the involved."

Hermione huffed. "Well, it's not exactly something I really want to think about at this moment," she said crossing her arms.

"Hermione," Draco whispered, gently placing his hand on her back.

She glanced at Helga and he saw her sigh. "Oh, all right. This is the abridged version. See, I was walking around the halls of Hogwarts, doing my duties when..."

Draco listened in silence as Hermione recounted the whole story of Pansy and the potion to the ghost, occasionally having to squeeze her hand for comfort when she got choked with tears. Five minutes later, he was holding her tightly to him as she sobbed into his chest, Helga giving her a sorrowful look mingled with one of thought. He could practically hear the gears in her dead mind working as she tried to come up with the solution. The problem was, it seemed to take forever. While it was still barely noon, it felt like time was slipping away too fast.

Finally, Hermione extracted herself from Draco's arms and turned to Helga. "So?" she asked.

Helga looked at her a moment, her finger to her chin. "We need to go to St. Mungo's," she told them without preface.

They both gaped at her. "What?" they chorused.

"We need to know the exact ingredients this Parkinson girl put in the potion. For every potion made with the intent to destroy two lovers, there must be something personal from one of them in the potion. Since this specific potion involved the hearts of three, Pansy would've had to use something of Draco's that would destroy Hermione's heart."

Draco blinked trying to make sense of it all. Luckily, Hermione seemed to understand it just fine. "So, Pansy used something of Draco's to kill me?"

Helga nodded. "Yes, that would be—as you say—the abridged version. But not something small and inconsise. It would've had to have been something like a lock of hair or and eyelash or something."

"But how would she have gotten it?" Draco put in. "I never liked her, so how'd she get close enough to get it?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is she got it and tried using it against the two of you. Now, we have to figure out what it was and use the opposite of it in the antidote."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning the same thing only from Hermione."

"But how do we get there?" Hermione asked.

Helga smiled and waved her hand. A sack of dust and a large fireplace appeared behind them. "You floo. I'll meet you there." And she vanished in a wisp of smoke.

Draco immediately surged for the hearth but Hermione's hand on his made him stop. He turned to her. "What is it?"

Tears welled in the Gryffindor's eyes. "Draco, I-I don't want to go to St. Mungo's," she said nervously. "I don't want to see Pansy."

"Oh, Hermione," he said gently, pulling her to him. "Hermione, I know. I don't want to either. But it there's even the slightest chance that we can save you than I will do anything." He looked down at her. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to. I'm sure Helga and I can—"

She cut him off with a finger to his lips. She gave him a meek smile. "That's probably one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me, Draco. Promise you won't leave my side?"

"I swear."

She nodded. "Okay. Let's go." She took his hand and he let her pull him into the fireplace. In a flash they were gone.

"Finally!" Helga exclaimed when they found themselves in the hospital for wizards.

"Sorry," Hermione said. "It took us a minute to get here."

"Yeah," Draco agreed, noting she didn't seem to want to talk about it.

"Right, well, I've already spoken to one of the Healers here in the Psychiatric Ward. Pansy is just down the hall. She's stable enough to talk except..."

"Except?" Draco prodded when the ghost averted her eyes.

"Well, the Healers said she shouldn't be seen by the _cause_ of her...condition."

"So?"

"So, that would be you."

"Me?" Draco cried. He would've thought it was Hermione, given she "stole" him from Pansy. Not only that, but he would rather Hermione stay away from Pansy if he couldn't be there with her.

"No!" Hermione said. "Draco has to go in with me. Otherwise, I won't go at all." She grabbed his hand tightly.

"My dear, we must know what she used and if she sees Draco she might not tell us."

"But—"

"No, I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be. Now, please, Hermione, let's get it over with." Helga turned and glided down the hall without waiting for an answer. Draco and Hermione followed in silence and he saw her face loose all it's color.

"I'm sorry, luv," he said in her ear. "I tried. If you want, you distract Hufflepuff and I'll sneak inside."

She gave a wry laugh. "No, that's okay. But if anything sounds weird or wrong, or if everything goes quiet—"

"I'll rush in immediately."

"Thank you."

He kissed her head. They came to the end of the hall and Hermione reluctantly released his hand. "Are you ready?" Helga asked her.

"No. But I'll do it."

Helga led the way inside and Hermione cast one last glance at Draco. Then she disappeared inside. He sagged against the wall. _God, please don't let Parkinson hurt her,_ he prayed.

After what felt like an eternity but only turned out to be an hour, Draco saw movement through the door window and moved aside as the two females he'd come with came out.

"How'd it go?" he asked when Hermione instantly bolted into his arms. He could already feel his shirt grow damp at her tears.

He looked at Helga who gave him a solemn look in return. She just shook her head.

Hermione sat bawling in Draco's arms hours later, scrunched up against him under the tree by the lake. The sun was already beginning to set and Draco had never felt for lost in his life. They'd been so close, so close to figuring out how to save her. But Pansy had refused. It was as if Fate was trying to toy with them, make them hurt even more. It made Draco's stomach curl.

Hermione raised her head after a minute and wiped her tears. "Draco, this really is it," she said softly. "This is the last night I'll ever—"

"Don't say it," he said firmly, looking out over the tinted pink water. He glanced down at her. "Please don't say it," he whispered.

Hermione didn't finish and tilted her head up to kiss him. "I love you, Draco," she said softly.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I love you too," he said, kissing her forehead. They were silent for the next half hour or so, Draco just holding her, before he spoke again. "Do you want to see any of your friends? Classes ended an hour ago."

She hesitated. And he knew she wasn't sure if she wanted to see anyone right now. They'd told Harry and Ron what Hufflepuff had said during one of the breaks and they'd been furious at Pansy. They wanted to stay with her but they had classes and she told them to go and that they had better not stop learning once she was gone. They agreed, mostly because they wanted to abide by her wishes on her last day, and they left, promising to see her later.

Hufflepuff was still in the hospital trying to work with Pomfrey and Sprout but Hermione knew it was hopeless, yet she let them continue without any objections.

Finally, she nodded. "Yeah. Let's go." They rose and walked back into the castle, heading for the Gryffindor common room hand in hand. They were halfway up the stiars when they heard someone yell behind them. They paused and turned around.

Harry and Ron were racing for them at a rate faster than Draco and Hermione thought possible. "Hi, guys," she said, trying not to wince as the clock struck nine.

They skidded to a halt before them. "WefoundasolutiontotheproblemwithPansy!" Ron gasped.

Hermione and Draco blinked. "What?" Draco asked.

"Pansy," Harry choked, out of breath and waving his hand thinking they would understand.

"What about her?" Hermione said.

Ron groaned and was silent as he tried to get his breath back. Finally, he managed to talk coherently. "We found a solution to the problem with Pansy," he repeated. "Ginny's down stealing from Snape this moment."

"What?" Draco said again, this time in shock. "How?"

"Veritaserum," Harry explained. "It will _make_ her tell us what she used in the poison!"

Draco smacked his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't we think of it before!" he cried. "Ginny's—"

"Right here!" Ginny called, running down the hallway her robes billowing behind her. "I got the potion." She tossed it at Harry. "Now, go!" she ordered.

He nodded. "Accio Firebolt!" he called, waving his wand. Suddenly, his broom was flying at him and he jumped on it, mid-air. "Don't worry, 'Mione," he told her with a smile. "You'll soon be back at school for good." Then he flew off, out the big double doors, and was gone.

Hermione looked nervous when Draco looked at her. He squeezed her hand. "Do you think this will work?" she asked him.

He hugged her. "P-Harry won't let you die anymore than I will," he assured her.

An hour later, Hermione, Draco, Ron and Ginny stood in the hospital wing with Pomfrey, Sprout, and Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff had instructed the other two women how to create the antidote while Hermione waited by the window for Harry. Draco watched her, worried. She wasn't as happy as he thought she would be considering the fact she still had a chance. She seemed very dejected, which was natural since she'd had her hopes struck down already but still…he thought she'd be a bit more optimistic.

Ron and Ginny were pouring over the potion with the others, waiting impatiently for the liquid to turn orange. Draco was off to the side, watching the clock. He figured that if he kept staring at it, time would pass slower. It wasn't working, though.

The minutes ticked by and half past chimed. He glanced at Hermione. She sucked in a deep breath and slowly expelled it. At first he thought it was to calm her nerves, but then he saw her skin. It was whiter than snow. The poison was taking full affect now that it was nearly eleven. He was at her side in an instant, calming her, rubbing her arms. She leaned into him and closed her eyes. She was accepting her fate, he realized. Oh, no.

"It's Harry!" Ginny suddenly cried, pointing to the window fifteen minutes later.

Hermione's eyes shot open as Harry came swooping in. He landed beside her and smiled. He held up the empty Veritaserum bottle. "She told me," he said simply.

"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked urgently.

"A tear," he stated.

"A tear?" Draco asked. He raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember crying in front of her."

"I asked her that as well and she said you teared up when Blaise threw pumpkin juice in your face, per her request."

Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "Merlin, that was the day Hermione was poisoned!" he exclaimed.

Harry nodded. "She mentioned that too."

"Well, come on, then!" Hufflepuff said. "Hermione, we need your tears for the potion to work. Let's go!"

Hermione rushed over to the cauldron and stood in front of it. She paused. "How do you make yourself cry?" she asked.

Hufflepuff shrugged. "Just think of that fact that if you don't do this soon, you'll lose Draco forever!"

Draco saw Hermione actually tear up at this, genuinely. Hufflepuff hadn't exactly been tactful. He wanted to comfort her but he feared that if he did, her tears would dry up. He glanced at the clock. Ten till eleven. He looked back at her.

Her eyes had gone misty; he could see she was deep in thought, probably taking Hufflepuff's advice. Finally, after what seemed like forever, a tear slid down her cheek and fell from her chin to the cauldron. An explosion nearly sent them all reeling but everyone managed to stay upright.

The potion changed from orange to green and Hufflepuff let out an excited squeal. Pomfrey hurriedly grabbed a vial and filled it with some. Draco, meanwhile, was watching Hermione again. She seemed to be swaying. He gathered her in his arms and looked back at the clock. Five minutes left. The barrier around her heart was breaking down. Fast. He rushed her to one of the beds and laid her on it, perching her back up against the pillows. He heard Ginny whimper; they were cutting it very close.

Pomfrey hurried to them and handed Draco the potion. "Hermione," he said, tenderly. "Come on, you have to drink this."

She nodded faintly and took the potion from his hand, but she was shaking so badly she nearly dropped it. He couldn't believe it. The affect from the poison was instantaneous. She'd been fine and now…He shook his head and put his hand over her's. He would not think that. Gently, he helped her tip the vial back at her lips and he saw her swallow the potion. She coughed once or twice…

Then the clock chimed eleven times and she went limp.

Draco practically fell to the floor that moment. Harry came up behind him and kept him from hurting himself but he couldn't care less what happened to him. Hermione was gone. After all that…she was just gone.

Ginny let out an agonizing wail and buried herself in her brother's arms; Ron himself was bawling where he stood. The teachers and the ghost were trying to keep their tears at bay, they tried to stay strong for the students, but they were failing. Harry was whimpering, mumbling about how he'd been too late.

But Draco didn't care how any of them felt. Because no matter how long they'd known her, how long they'd been friends with her, all their feelings paled in comparison to his.

He'd loved her. Really and truly loved her. For the first time in his life, he'd cared for someone other than himself. It had been someone he wouldn't have expected to love six years ago, but who he couldn't stop loving now. And now…she was gone. He would never see her again, never hold her in his arms, never kiss her…

Never give her the engagement ring he'd been secretly holding for the past few months, and that he'd kept securely with him the entire time they'd been away from school. He'd never slid it on to her finger, asking to marry her, he'd never get the chance to watch her walk down the aisle, never hear her say her vows, never tell her his vows, never be a family with her. Man and wife. Because he knew she would've said yes. They'd talked about it a few times, once they graduated. And she always assured him her answer would be yes. And now…he'd never ask her.

He fell forward and buried his face in her hair, sobbing and crying into it, holding her body and praying that this wasn't the end. But he knew it was. And all he could do was cry.

Days passed and almost everyone in the school cried when they heard the news of Hermione's death. The Slytherins didn't, all except Draco. He was barely seen outside the Gryffindor walls. Hermione's passing had really brought him closer to most of his former enemies, especially Harry, Ron, and Ginny and now, he was always found in their common room, a picture of Hermione clutched to his chest.

Six days had come and gone and she hadn't been buried yet. Draco had wanted to make the funeral arrangements himself and wanted to make sure they did her justice. She was to be buried on the Hogwarts grounds, as she wished, but he'd insisted on a memorial service the night before her burial in the Great Hall.

Hermione's body was laid on a long marble slab over a Gryffindor pedestal. She had been clothed by Ginny in long white robes and to Draco, she looked ethereal. The students and teachers wore black, but Draco wore a lilac shirt and black slacks. She'd always loved lilac. Ginny had also woven lilac flowers in her hair at his request and they just made her look even more stunning.

He stepped up to Dumbledore's podium with Hermione's memorial speech in his hands. He didn't really need the papers, they were just everything he'd loved about her and he didn't need a script for that. He looked out at the students of Hogwarts and began.

"Hermione Jane Granger was the most wonderful person anyone could hope to know. She was kind and caring, generous to anyone and everyone she came across, even if she didn't like them. That was how I fell in love with her, to be honest. She reached out to me in a time when I thought nobody cared and to be honest, I treated her like crap. But, we all know Hermione, she never stopped trying. And soon I realized she was trying to help me _because_ she cared. How could I not fall in love with her after that?" A ripple of laughter swept the room as all remembered her pushy ways. "Hermione was my angel during the worst times and the best, and now I know she'll always be my angel and yours, looking over us all from a place where she no longer has to worry about tests, or grades, or pain. She's happy now. I miss her terribly, but I know if she were here, she'd be telling us all not to mourn her." He paused and looked off into space a moment. "I was going to ask her to marry me, you know," he said softly. "We had talked about it. Not until after graduation, of course, but we both were ready to start a life together. And that speech at graduation was going to be her's. Right after that…that was when I had intended to ask her. The second she got off the stage." He blinked and refocused on those before him. "But I'll never get to now, will I?" he asked no one in particular. "I'll never get to ask her. It kills me inside to think of that, but there it is. I don't think I'll ever accept that and I don't know if I ever want to. She'd tell me that I must and that I need to move on. But how can I move on when I loved her? How can anyone move on after they knew Hermione Granger? I don't think a single person here can ever forget her," he said. "Not even the Slytherins. No matter what jokes and insults they cracked at her, she can never be lost from thought. After all, I'm a Slytherin and I loved her more than life itself. I just hope she knew that," he finished quietly.

Applause rang out as he finished his speech and he cast a glance at Hermione's body. This was really the end for them. It was all he could do not to burst into tears on the spot. He held them in check, for now at least, and motioned Harry forward.

The memorial had begun at five and was over by nine. So many people had so much to say about her. Even if it was just one sentence, it meant the world to Draco she had been cared for by so many. Soon, he was left alone in the Great Hall. Everyone had gone and her friends had left to do a special toast to her in the common room with all the Gryffindors around. And Draco wasn't ready to leave her body yet.

He pulled a chair from the staff table and sat at her side, taking her hand in his own. He caressed it gently, though he knew she could no longer feel it.

"I meant what I said, Hermione," he told her empty body. "About everything. The reason I fell for you so hard was because you tried to help me when I was all alone and no matter how much I pushed you away, you never left me. You were always there for me, despite my cruelty to you for so long. I pray that you truly forgave me for all the horrible things I did to you. I want you think of me as the guy who loved you and only you, not as the guy who terrorized you and then fell for you. And I hope to God that I can be with you when I die. I don't want to lose you in the afterlife too." He kissed her softly on the hand. "Hermione, you are my world…I just wish I had gotten the chance to call you Hermione Malfoy." A tear slid down his face and hit her hand, and he rubbed it into her skin, a final memory of him.

What happened next, some would call it a miracle; others would say it was magic. Whatever it was, it was unbelievable.

Hermione shot up where she lay and breathed in a deep breath. Her free hand flew to her chest and she took in a few more gasps of air before she blinked and looked around. Her eyes fell on Draco and she smiled.

"Hermione!" he half-exclaimed, half-gasped.

Her smiled widened. "Hey, Stranger," she said.

He rose. "What are you—how are you—I thought—"

"She was not dead as we thought, Mr. Malfoy," Hufflepuff said appearing before them. "Not long after I left that night, I found Miss Granger swirling around in the ether lost and confused. I spoke to her, calming her a bit and then went to find an old friend of mine in the afterlife. He confirmed my suspicions. Hermione was given the antidote practically the moment she was meant to die so naturally, when she went limp we thought she was gone. But in reality, no matter when we gave it to her, she would've still gone limp. It took six days before she was told she had seven left to live, so it took six days to restore the life those six days had cost her."

"Wait, so…you're saying she's alive?" he asked incredulous. "Hermione's…" He turned to Hermione herself. "You're not dead?"

She grinned. "I never really was. I was just in limbo."

"But what about your pulse and you heart? They weren't beating."

"Like she said," Hufflepuff spoke again. "She was in limbo. Her soul was no longer in it's body. Therefore, there could be no pulse." Draco was still shocked to his core. Hufflepuff laughed. "Dear, it is mind-blowing, but she'd alive. That is what matters. Ta-ta!" She smiled and vanished.

Draco turned back to Hermione and helped her down from the pedestal. "You're…you're really back?" he asked, tenderly brushing his hand over her cheek even as tears formed in his eyes.

She wrapped her hand around this. "More than that, I heard everything you said. And…if the offer's still open, I would love to be Mrs. Draco Malfoy."

"Really?" he said, a smile breaking over his still shocked features.

She nodded. "Yes."

He squeezed her hand. "Well, then let's do it properly." He released her hand and dug into his robe's inner pocket, extracting the small black box he'd been holding for days. He got down on one knee and snapped it open. "Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?"

Hermione grinned from ear to ear. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, definitely!"

He laughed and slid the emerald onto her left hand. He rose and brought the ring to his lips. "Good." He smirked. "Well, now, I suppose we should find your friends and tell them all the good news," he said happily and started down the stairs with her. He stopped abruptly when she didn't move.

"No," she said, her smile fading into a frown.

"No?" he repeated surprised.

"They all just went through hell thinking I was dead and having a ceremony for me," she told him. "To tell them I never died would be too hard on all of them. It would cause confusion and shock and many would think I'm a zombie or a ghost. I don't want them to know, Draco. Not now."

"But Hermione," he protested.

She shook her head. "Please, Draco?"

Finally, he nodded. "If you're sure."

"I am. I don't want to be there if they find out. Our wedding announcement will be in the papers and if they want to track me down and find out the whole story, they can. I'm not going to hide from the world. I want to work at the Ministry. But…those at Hogwarts…"

"What about Harry, Ron and Ginny?"

"I'll owl them. But other than that, they're the only ones who will know. When they find I'm gone tomorrow, they'll be suspicious, but…"

"When they find _we're_ gone tomorrow," Draco corrected.

"What?" she said. "Draco, what about your classes? You're so close to finishing, you can't give them up."

He wrapped his arms around her. "Hermione, listen to me. I don't care about my classes. All I want is to live my life with you. And now that I have that chance—" he bent and kissed her passionately, "—I'm taking it."


End file.
